Eric,
Nice comparison. Side by side, questions about original finish or not become moot.
A couple of things:
1. A professional restorer has to prep the metal before re-bluing. This necessitates bringing the state of the surface as close as possible to that of the original "in the white" factory gun. But to do that, they have to grind and sand and polish the metal. Edges become blurry, markings are washed out, etc. The gun loses it sharp appearance and looks rounded. But then the gun is blued, typically on a late Luger, by Salt Bluing, i.e. dipping the gun parts into a hot salts bath. Now this hot salt process is chemically, basically the same as the one that the factory used. It does not smell/stink. A really good professional does his best to minimize "changes" from the original but the tell tales are always there.
2. Cold bluing is another story. It is typically used to touch up areas of wear. There is minimal metal prep. It goes on cold. It stinks, literally. Only a rank amateur would cold blue the entire gun and try to pass it off as original.
But, as I, and others, have said; the best way to identify a refinished gun is NOT to look at the finish itself, but to look at the underlying metal of the gun. Are edges sharp?? Are holes clean, or is the surface around them dished? Are there bruises/dents in the metal, scratches, pitting, etc. that have been blued over. Are the areas that should be in the white blued over? On Rust blued guns are there halos present where they should be? Is there a brown patina, under the bluing that is visible is strong day light?
Again, thanks for the side by side.
John
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